Getting started in P3 can be scary. No one wants to gain their weight back. Take a few moments to read my blog post on getting started if you haven’t already. It really helps to be prepared and take it slowly.

What foods should you actually eat on P3? The most important thing to remember is this: do not eat any SUGARS or STARCHES. If you are strict about this, in addition to limiting dairy, nuts, sweet fruits, and starchy vegetables, you will do well on P3. In other words, stick to beef, fish, chicken, turkey, and non starchy vegetables, and some carefully chosen fruits.

This can be challenging because there are hidden sugars and starches in many foods. Be sure to read labels, and if you don’t know what a food item is, either look it up or skip eating it for now.

Below is my simplified list of foods to eat in P3 based on what I learned from Linda Prinster’s book and also from my own experience. You may notice that my list is not exactly the same as hers; I tend to err on the side of caution. For me I found it better to go slowly and avoid anything that effected my weight negatively.

This is a simplified list, and it only includes foods that I personally would be likely to eat, so you may want to review Linda Prinster’s information and create a more complete list for yourself. Her chart takes a bit of time to get through, but it is quite thorough and worth the effort.

Before I personally began P3, I spent some time with her book, and I started a spreadsheet that included the information that I needed. I then created an easy-to-view format that I carried with me all the time.

Another amazing resource is HCG Chica’s program: Phase 3 to life. It covers everything you need to know about P3 including menus & shopping guides, recipes (*including yummy desserts), tools, challenges you might encounter, success stories and much more. It is truly an invaluable tool for success in Phase 3 and in lifelong maintenance.

I suggest that you create your own spreadsheet, and that you carry a list of these foods with you at all times, perhaps on your phone. You can simply bookmark this page on your phone and use this list when you need it to assist you in staying on track and stabilizing your weight.

ALLOWED FOODS

DRINKS

Diet Sodas

Lemon Juice (make lemonade & lemon slushies with lemon stevia, yum!)

Low Fat or Non Fat Milk

Teas

Water: Carbonated

Water

Coffee, with low fat milk and/or artificial sweetners only

PROTEIN

Eggs

Fish: All types

Chicken

Turkey

Beef: All types (I use caution at first with fattier meats such as pork, lamb, veal, prime rib, ribs, or tri tip)

Lobster

Scallops

Shrimp

Crab

FRUIT

Apples

Avocado

Berries

Cherries

Coconut: Raw, Fresh, no added sugar

Grapefruit

Lemon

Lime

Nectarines

Oranges

Papayas

Peaches

Persimmons

Plums

Strawberries

VEGIES

Asparagus

Broccoli

Brussels Sprouts

Carrots

Cabbage

Celery

Tomatoes

Cucumber

Eggplant

Green Beans

Lettuce

Mushrooms

Onions

Snow Peas

Peppers

Radishes

Snap Beans

Spinach

Chard

Tomato Paste

Zuccini

Edamame

EXTRAS

Au Jus: NO SUGAR OR FLOUR

Coconut Milk Lite (use with caution and be sure to get an organic brand that has no added sugar)

Erythritol

Gum: sugar free

Horseradish

Luo Han Guo

Marinara Sauce: NO SUGAR OR FLOUR ADDED

Mayonnaise

Mayonnaise light

Mustard: no sugars

Oils: WITH CAUTION

Popsicles: fruit only: sugar free

Saccharin (Aspartame)

Salsa

Seasoning (non sugar types)

Soy Sauce

Stevia

Sucralose/splenda

Sugar Twin

Tamari: Wheat Free

Vinegar: all types

Wasabi: no sugar

These next foods are listed as ‘eat with caution’ in Linda Prinster’s book, using caution in both quantity and frequency. She also says that you should refrain from having too many of these foods in one day.

Personally, I stayed away from almost all of these foods in P3, especially at the beginning. I was able to easily have some half and half in my coffee (yum!) and some oils for cooking and on salads, but at first, most foods on this list made my weight jump up. Just remember, this is not forever! Your only goal in P3 is to stabilize your weight and your metabolism, so it is worth choosing your food very carefully and being patient.

DO NOT EAT THESE FOODS AT FIRST – AT LEAST BE CAREFUL TO KEEP THEM VERY LIMITED.

Meats

Hot dogs, beef jerky, etc

Processed meats of any type

Tofu

Dairy

Cheeses: all types

Cottage cheese: low fat

Half & Half

Milk: whole milk or enriched milk

Yogurt: plain, low fat or non fat, sugar free only

Fruit

Cantaloup

Currants

Dates

Grapes

Honeydew Melon

Kiwi

Pears

Pineapple

Raisins

Tangerine

Watermelon

Fruit juices with no sugar or additives

Vegetables & Beans

Artichokes

Bamboo Shoots

French Beans

Peas

Squash

Any starchy vegetables

Other

Butter

Cooking spray

Creamed Horseradish with no sugar

Hard Candy: sugar free

Ketchup with no sugar

Nuts: all other types

Pickles: dill

Salad Dressing: NO CARB/FAT/SUGAR

Spaghetti Sauce: only types with no sugar or flour

Sugar & fat free Ice Cream

Tomato Sauce

This final list includes a sample of all the foods that you should definitely NOT eat! Most include sugars and starches. This is just a sample, so be sure to make your own list and use your judgement.

DO NOT EAT OR DRINK THESE FOODS

Beans & lentils of all types

Flavored Yogurts

Fried Foods

Honey, Molasses, Maple Syrup, Agave

Pinto or Black Beans

Popcorn

Refried Beans

Salad Dressings (they usually have sugar)

Soy and Soy products

Drinks

Alcohol of all types (wine, beer, mixed drinks, etc)

Drinks with any type of sugar in them, including drinks with honey, etc

Soy Milk, Almond Milk, Rice Milk, etc

Heavy whipping cream

Fruit

Banana

Dried Fruit

Mango

Plaintain Chips

Any really sweet or high carb/high calorie fruits

Vegetables & Beans

Corn in any form

Garbanzo Beans

Anything starchy

Nuts

Cashews

All Nuts That Are High In Fats

Flour & Starch

Almond Flour

Breads of any type

Chips

Coconut Flour

Gluten Free Flour

Potatoes of any type

Wheat Flour

White Flour

Pizza

Pasta

Rice of any type

Tempura

Tortillas of any type

Etc

Most Sauces Have Sugar And/Or Flour

Alfredo Sauce

Barbeque Sauce

Curry Sauce

Panang

Teryaki Sauce

Tomato Puree

Etc

Seasoning

Avoid any season with More Than 4 Grams of Sugar. Many seasonings have sugars and starches added, so be careful!

I suggest that you keep it simple; it is so much easier to keep track of.

I continue to drink 80 ounces of fluids per day, THAT really helps!! I strongly recommend this. It is a great habit to get into. In addition, I ate small amounts often.

Ever since my first round of P2, I have gotten used to only eating until I am no longer hungry. It feels great. I get hungry easily now, and eat lots of small healthy fruit, vegie, or protein snacks during the day. Especially in P3, I ate about 6 times per day; 3 meals and 3 snacks. Notice that the snacks however, are just 1 piece of fruit or a vegie, and that my meals are pretty light also.

A wonderful snack, (one of my personal favorites!) is chopped up tomatoes and cucumbers, with a few orange or yellow peppers if you want. Sprinkle this with tons of balsamic vingegar, salt and pepper, and maybe a dash of olive oil. This is really yummy, and super satisfying. LATER in p3, I added avocado AS my protein, NOT in addition to chicken or tuna.

I encourage you to take P3 seriously. The HCG protocol really can assist you in adjusting your weight permanently, however if you don’t do the work of maintenance it can be really easy to gain the weight back. Use this time to create a new relationship to food. Add foods slowly, be patient, notice what foods you have difficulty with, and adjust accordingly. Get help and support in dealing with any emotional or addiction issues that arise; this is a great time to heal yourself.

I hope this helps!

Best of luck to you on your HCG journey,

~inspired girl aka Barbara

26 Comments

Rosa
March 21, 2017

Can you please give guidance on calories to consume in phase 3. There is one school of thought that you have to get your calories up fast in phase 3. Then, I have heard that going slow is better. I am currently on day 14 of phase 3 and it seems I have to do a steak day every 2 days. I eat the safe foods and started around 700-800 calories in week 1, then tried to eat between 1000-1200 calories in week 2. I was still gaining daily and so I thought maybe I was not eating enough calories and fat, so 2 days ago, I ate my highest calories of 1600 and ate chicken, fish, blueberries, but upped the amount of olive oil, chia seed oil, mct oil, and coconut oil, which was about 900 calories of the 1600 I consumed. Well, that was a bad idea, because the next morning, I gained my highest pounds of 4.4 overnight, which was 127 pounds I am trying to stabilize my LDW of 123. Today I am back down to 124pounds after yesterday steak day. Today I plan to consume about 1300 calories and reduce the oils and hope no gains tomorrow. But, I feel like I am on a roller coaster. Any suggestions on how many calories and how fast or slow to consume them. Thanks!

Thanks for reaching out. Sorry you are having a hard time, P3 can be so tricky. Everyone is different, for sure! I am of the GO SLOW in P3 group. I have found that if I add calories and foods too quickly, I just gain weight. If I wait and add foods and calories slowly, I can eat those same foods with no problem, as well as more calories, after I have stabilized.

How many calories you should eat is dependent on so many things including your age, health, and exercise level. I also think maintenance, and how long it takes to get stable is effected by how much weight you lost, and how long it has been since you weighed this little (for you, 123).

My first rounds, I could get up to 1600 calories or more within a week, but in my latest rounds, it has taken longer because I am trying to stabilize at a really low weight that I have not been at since I was a teen. I personally do not have any problem with oils, however, I can’t eat sweet fruits such as blueberries, or much dairy. Everyone is different, and I think it is important to consider WHAT foods make you gain, as well as the calories.

As you know, too many steak days are not good either.

If I were you, I would try taking my calories down to 1000-1200, and cut out anything with higher carbs (some vegies and fruit have high carbs). Cut out most dairy, any nuts, etc. stick with protein and vegie days before you get to 2 pounds over. If you get 2 pounds over, YES, steak days are perfect, but I find that doing protein and vegie days before I get to that 2 pounds over mark is a great way to go.

I do find that my weight can be really unstable in P3, and it can take 3-6 weeks to stabilize. I do my best to do protein and vegie days often when I am 1 pound or 1.5 pounds over, rather than get to a steak day weight.

Thanks for the guidance. So, today I woke up to a 1.2 pound loss after eating about 1500 calories. My weight was122.2 this morning and this is actually .8 pounds lower than my LDW of 123. I decided I was going to eat the exact same foods and quantities today to see what happens tomorrow. Maybe things are about to turnaround as this is now day 15 of phase 3.

You also mentioned that age, number of days on hcg, last time I was at the LDW weight I am trying to stabilize at can play a part in stabilization, so here are some other information that might me helpful to others as we all gain so much supporting information from you site! ( thanks!).

1. In January 2016, I did my first round of 43 days at a starting weight of 148. I had previously average 130-135 pound for many years and then I guess with age, etc. and enjoying Christmas holiday, I gaineed. I ended this round with at 131 pounds. I maintained until around October 2016 when I started having some medical issues and some of the medication caused me to gain weight more easily. My medical issues are now resolved and I am no longer on medication, but in January 2017, I was back at around 148 pounds. This prompted me to do a 2nd round of hcg.

2. I started 2nd round in January 2017 with injections and I was on this round for 49 days. And LDW was 123 pounds. One thing that did concern me about my LDW was it ended on the day my t.o.m. started, so I was not sure if that was going to be a true LDW to stabilize at. But, I had also consistently was losing about .4 pounds per day during the last 5 days of the round and when I was still eating 500 calories in the 72 hours before starting phase 3, I dropped another 1.5 pounds, down to 121.4. But, I knew that I should be trying to stabilize the LDW of 123 pounds.
3. I am 5’4 and 47 yrs old and it has been high school since I have been at the 123 weight.
4. I am an avid exerciser. I exercised 5-6 days a week before hcg with weights and circuit training. During phase 2 of this round, I continued to exercise 5-6 days a week, but I cut down the intensity and duration.
5. I am also continuing exercising in phase 3, but again being cautious of intensity.

5. I have struggled a bit with stabilizing in the first 14 days of phase 3. As I have outlined in my original post, but as of today, I am hoping that I am in a turn around day. I had a steak day on Monday, then Tuesday I ate about 1500 calories of just eating chicken, fish, vegetable, 1 TBS coconut oil, 1 TBS oil, and actually addded 1 oz of pecans because it is one of the lowest net carb nuts ( about 1 carb) trying to add in more “good” fats and trying to increase my calories at the same time. I know nuts are risky, but I had tried everything else up to this point. I also changed up my exercise and did a 25 minute HIIT workout. The result was that I woke up this morning to a 2.2 pound weight loss on top of the 2 pound weight loss from the previous day after having a steak day. I am now 122.4 this morning and my LDW was123. I decided to eat the same way I did yesterday to see if I don’t have any gains tomorrow. I will keep everyone posted.

Sounds smart to stick with the 1500 calories. Keep in mind that in P3, your weight will likely fluctuate some regardless, so you may need to keep adjusting for awhile.

Considering what you shared, it might be challenging to stabilize at 123. NOT that you can’t do it, of course you can, but it might just take time a few rounds. At 47, you might be close to menopause, which effects your weight dramatically.

Personally, I would stay away from nuts of any kind until at least P4, especially if you are struggling. I don’t even eat coconut oil myself until later, however many people do, and everyone is different. You never know what might be causing a weight gain, so playing around with removing and adding foods is a good thing to do. P3 is a process of trial and error. Use this time to learn what foods work for you and which don’t. You might be surprised.

Sounds like you are really considering this, and doing your best to find the right balance of foods for you.

So, I’m “weighing” in here because I had some thoughts lately after reading the exchange the past few days. I think, too, it’s quite important to eat as organically as possible. I am doing well with 20 pounds off and enjoying Phase 4 eating anything I want. I gained a solid pound over Christmas; I was drinking more alcohol than once a week; and eating just a bit more sweeets! But, I went back to ensuring my cheese is organic; our meat is grass-fed and chicken local and fresh. I believe that the growth hormones in meat and dairy DO pack on “growth” in us. I’m 54 and in menopause (or through it?) and I am doing well. Definitely eating at least one apple and one grapefruit daily is key; the apple cider vinegar too, and I do have coconut oil most days. As our “Inspired Girl” recommends, going slow is important and slowly trying/introducing new things and watching your weight’s reaction. I did go slowly and still watch my vegies and fruit. IF I have a banana, I’m pretty sure I’m eating no starchy vegies or bread that day and no alcohol; if I’ve been great on the sugar, I’ll enjoy some flax crackers with cheese as a treat. You can do it! Drink your water and tea too! And just keep doing it!

Thank you Sharon, these are all great suggestions!F or sure, balance and moderation are keys to success. Ie, if you have a banana, you don’t have bread that day, etc.

Good for you on getting to Phase 4 successfully.

=)

Rosa
March 22, 2017

Thanks for the additional insights on eating organic. Just curious how an apple or 1/2 grapefruit in phase3/4 helps Instead of lower carb fruit like berries ? Oh, I also do at lest 1- 2 TBSP of apple cider vinegar daily.

Good question. I really don’t know what it is, but both apples and grapefruit have some amazing qualities and seem to boost metabolism. I am sure there are reasons for this you can find on the internet. In addition, I find that sweet fruit, such as berries and melons, tend to make me gain weight during P3. Of course, everyone is different, but I have heard this from others also. Test it out for yourself; I will be interested in hearing your results.

=)

Kris
March 15, 2017

Good morning. I’m wondering how you’ve listed edamame as fine for P3 but then say to avoid all soy. They are the same thing…I’m sitting here scared now, as I started eating edamame as soon as I read your first list, only to scroll down to the part where you say don’t touch it…

So sorry for the confusion. Yes, of course edamame is soy, and in general, soy is high in starch/carbohydrates (tofu!) and is not often recommended in P3. I personally however, have had no problem with Edamame and have heard others say the same thing. Everyone is different, and one of the hardest parts of P3 and maintenance is the trial and error of it all. I can NOT eat tofu without gaining weight, but Edamame, in moderation, and NOT daily, isn’t an issue for me. For you, I would say, test it slowly, and see the effects. I have discovered so many unusual things in P3: an example, I can eat some peanuts, but almonds almost always make me gain weight. Really weird! I really try to use P3 and P4 as a time of learning for what MY body responds well to and what it just doesn’t like.

Thanks for reaching out!
Let me know what you think, and let me know how it goes.

Good luck,
~inspired Girl aka Barbara

PS: I am not a doctor nor an expert in the field, and nothing I write here is ever intended as medical advice. I am just another HCGer who has had some success 🙂

I am on day 20 of my first-ever HCG and am down 12 pounds and one away from my goal; so, I’m thrilled at 53 years of age to be fitting back into all of my clothes that were tight since Menopause!
I love your candid straight-forward tips and caution to be patient. I have read so much about Phase 3 and now that I’m close have felt the pangs of anxiety!
I was struggling with mis-information;too much information–and now feel quite relieved to add things in slowly and concentrate on meat, fish and lots of starch-less vegies and not-too-sweet fruits. You saved me, because I was gonna enjoy cantalope and organic cottage cheese a lot (so I thought.) But I can wait!

Thanks for reaching out. I am so gald that my posts helped you and gave you a good direction to go. Congratulations on the weight loss and the goal attainment. It sure is a whole lot harder to lose and maintain weight over 50, SO grateful for HCG!

P3 is anxiety provoking for everyone; I feel scared in every round on the changeover from P2 to P3, in spite of all I know. Of course everyone is different, but I do feel the best with the ‘go slow’ approach to P3, and it has continued to work well for me.

YES, do keep me posted!

Good luck,
~inspired Girl aka Barbara

PS: I am not a doctor nor an expert in the field, and nothing I write here is ever intended as medical advice. I am just another HCGer who has had some success 🙂

Thanks again for the “boost!” I began Phase 3 this morning and was psyched to enjoy two hard boiled eggs with Cayenne Pepper; strawberries and a few blueberries. And I’m doing this week slow and easy with Cauliflour “rice” tonight and lunch is chicken and yellow and green pepper strips lightly sauted (almost steamed)….so, I really do feel excited and will keep you in the loop.
Yes, I know you’re not a doc, etc. In my wellness business, I’m used to saying the same thing when sharing ideas that work for me….appreciate you! 🙂 Enjoy today! Thanks again! 🙂

I’m so glad I found your blog. Yours is one of the most concise, clear and right to the point. I have to admit HCG has gave my life back, I was so miserable after gaining 20 pounds out of antidepressants and not been able to lose it. I’m in just about to finish the P2 with 21 lbs lost. AMAZING! I’m so happy but now I’m scared to death. I want to ask: I have read every book. Love the book from Prinster. I have seen in other blogs that is suggested to add healthy fats like avocado, coconut oil, half and half, butter ( kind of keto diet). Any advice on this ?

I am so glad that you are finding it helpful and to the point! I try to be 🙂 Not a lot of fluff! 🙂

CONGRATS on 21 pound loss. HCG is AMAZING!

I think that everyone is scared in P3; I have been scared every time I have done it, even though I KNOW it works and how to work it!

I am definitely a proponent of healthy fats in P3, and in ongoing maintenance and lifestyle eating. Lots of them. However, my best suggestion is GO SLOW. Everyone is different. Add one thing at a time, and see the affects of each food before you add more. I have had no trouble easily adding butter, but with other dairy I have had to go slowly in some rounds in order to not gain. I added olive oil right away. And coconut. However my last round, I was able to add dairy, including half and half, and heavy cream by the second week of P3, whereas in the past, I had to wait until P4. It really is a process of trial and error, and every person, and every ROUND is different

My best suggestion is to be really careful the first week of P3 when your weight might be the most unstable. I personally have added butter & olive oil that first week, but have been pretty careful about other intense foods. Slowly add fats after that, and weigh yourself every day. You might be surprised at what you can eat, and what makes you gain. Also, some foods might make you gain in P3, but if you wait a few weeks, they might not. And don’t freak out if your weight fluctuates small amounts. If you gain 2 pounds, do a steak day that day, DON’t wait.

Keep in touch, and let me know how it goes!
Good luck,
~inspired Girl aka Barbara

PS: I am not a doctor nor an expert in the field, and nothing I write here is ever intended as medical advice. I am just another HCGer who has had some success 🙂

I am transitioning into p3 next week and I noticed on the “approved foods” you listed, you wrote that apples, persimmons, plums, papayas and cherries to name a few are ok? These fruits have quite a high sugar content in them. How are they ok for phase 3?

I wrote that awhile back, and I shared information that others shared with me. I personally have had no problems with apples, persimmons, and plums. I have not tried papaya or cherries. I AM very careful in P3 with sweet fruits, and find that berries have sometimes caused weight gain, other times they have not. The most recent round I completed, I had almost no issues with any fruit at all! Quite surprising. I HAVE found that every round is different, and every person is different, and I am often quite surprised by what foods I can eat and which ones cause weight gain.

I do think that you need to test it out for yourself. The list I provided includes my favorite foods and best choices from other people’s list as well as foods that I have found work for ME. But everyone is different. As with everything in P3, I do think it is important to go slowly, test out one new food at a time in moderation, and then notice the affects of that food. It is a process of trial and error and discovery for each person.

I hope that this helps!

Let me know how it goes!

Good luck,
~inspired Girl aka Barbara

PS: I am not a doctor nor an expert in the field, and nothing I write here is ever intended as medical advice. I am just another HCGer who has had some success

Help!
I am about to start P3 and know that there will be a couple dinners I know I will be cheating during. (Ahem Christmas)
When you know you will have a big cheat meal is it better to eat P3 normally throughout the day? Or would it be best not to eat at all or eat minimally up until the cheat meal?
Please help me out!

HI! I am sorry that I just saw this! Sorry I didn’t reach you before Christmas, and I hope it went well. I personally find that if you starve yourself during the day, you wind up eating more and feeling worse. I have found it best to eat healthy throughout the day, P3 POP, a normal but clean breakfast, and a normal but clean lunch and even if i know I am going to eat some NON POP foods, don’t go completely wild. Be selective, and only eat the stuff you love! and just don’t get stuffed 😉 It also helps to do a steak day or protein and vegie day only the day after. https://www.inspiredgirl.me/hcg-how-to-do-a-steak-day-p3-phase-3-maintenence/https://www.inspiredgirl.me/hcg-diet-protocol-tips-how-to-avoid-a-steak-day/. Let me know how it went!
Good luck!
~inspired girl, aka Barbara

Hello. I’m not sure if this is acceptable, but I use take 1 teaspoonful or so of NOW PSYLLIUM FIBER (purchased on AMAZON) 3 times a day. I also will take a natural vegetable laxative at night as well. This seems to help me. I usually am able to go once in the morning. I’d be curious to know if Barbara would find this to be okay to do. I hope I am not giving any ill advice. 🙂

I actually can’t remember if there are any restrictions on Psyllium Fiber. I would at the very least, during P2, be sure that there is nothing else in it, including be sure that there is no no wheat, sugards, fats, fruits, or additional ingredients. I have found that traditional medicinals smooth move tea, and Kleritea work great, FYI.

I have also found that HCG causes constipation, ugh!. When doing the protocol, I always use ‘smooth move’ tea and Kleritea. Daily! it makes a huge difference! And yes, being constipated affects your weight loss!